The film's at its best in the early sections, filling out the details
of the world with nice little character moments for Mildred Dunnock as the school teacher who doesn't get the
principal job, Russ Tamblyn as the sensitive shy boy next door and Diane Varsi as the
main character, a girl smart enough to see the hypocrisy around her and want to get out
of town as fast as she possibly can.